Lisa was five years old and went to the morning kindergarten. After being with school friends all morning, her afternoons at home were just too quiet. Her older brothers and sister were still in school.
Lisa was playing with an old checkbook on her parents’ bed. Her mother was ironing clothes in the same room. Lisa soon got tired of the game she had made up.
Then she got a new idea! “Mommy,” she said, “I think I want to take a little walk and pretend I’m going shopping with all this money,” holding up the old checkbook.
“Fine,” answered her mother. “But you must stay close to home, and don’t cross the street!”
How excited Lisa was as she jumped off the bed, kissed her mother goodbye, and ran down the stairs and out the front door.
As Lisa played her shopping game on the sidewalk in front of her house, she soon forgot what her mother had said. Looking up the street she thought, “I wonder if there are any nice stores up there? I’ve never been up there before.” She had already crossed the street and started up the hill when she suddenly remembered what her mother had said. She looked back at her house and could see her mother was still ironing in front of the upstairs window. Lisa thought, “I should go back before Mommy sees me.” But instead of obeying her mother, Lisa ran on up the hill before her mother saw her.
When Lisa got to the top of the hill, she forgot all about what she had been told. She had never seen big brick fences around houses, like there were up here. It reminded her of the stories that her brothers and sister had told her, about the big castles where kings and queens lived. “It looks like it would be lots of fun to live here,” she thought as she walked along, not noticing that she was getting farther and farther from home.
We are just like little Lisa. The Bible tells us that we have “gone astray; we have turned every one to his own, way.” Isaiah 53:66All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6). We are like lost sheep and cannot find our way to heaven by ourselves. But the Lord Jesus saw us wandering farther and farther away from Him. He came down from heaven to search for us and find us.
The Lord Jesus loves you and wants to be your Shepherd. He will guide you to His home in heaven. Won’t you let Him? Don’t refuse His offer of free salvation. He loves you so much that He died for you, so that you can live with Him in heaven forever. All you have to do is admit that you are a lost sinner needing a Saviour, and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. He was punished for your sins so that you can go free.
Lisa continued walking away from home. She wandered into a yard and talked to a kind old lady who was sitting on the porch.
“Are you lost, little girl?” the lady asked. “I’ve never seen you before.”
“No, I’m not lost,” answered Lisa. “I’m just on a shopping trip.”
“Oh, that’s nice,” said the lady.
Lisa didn’t stay there very long talking, because she wanted to get on with her “shopping trip.”
On wandered Lisa from one front yard to another until she found another little girl about her age. They had fun talking and playing with the little girl’s kitten. They were having such a good time that Lisa didn’t notice that it was getting late. The little girl’s mother came out and asked Lisa, “Shouldn’t you be going home now? It’s almost time for supper.”
Suddenly Lisa thought about her mother and her house. She started to leave, but she couldn’t remember how she had gotten to this yard. Lisa was scared. She started crying and ran down the sidewalk. “Why didn’t I listen to Mommy?” she thought as she ran crying. Looking up she saw a blue car that looked like her mother’s car. Was it? Yes it was, and Mother saw Lisa at the same time! Lisa ran as fast as she could to where the car had pulled over. She jumped into the car and kissed and hugged her mother.
“Oh, Lisa,” Mother said, “I’ve been looking all over for you! Why didn’t you stay close to home like I told you?”
How happy they both were to have found each other. Even playing with the kitten wasn’t as nice as being safe at home with her mother.
How this story reminds us of so many people who have wandered away from God, have not obeyed the Bible, and don’t even realize they are lost. Some people even say that there is no God. But God’s Word, the Bible, tells us, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” Psalms 14:11<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (Psalm 14:1). Those who say that there is no God are really ruing away from Him. We hope you won’t run away from God. He is looking for you, just like Lisa’s mother was looking for her. As soon as Lisa turned back to go home, her mother found her. As soon as you turn back to God, He will save you. How happy Lisa was when her mother finally found her. You will also be very happy if you only believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, died on the cross for your sins. Accept Him now as your Saviour. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7).
ML-09/20/1981